The Wildwood The Sculpture

Thunderheads roamed the skies in search of allies as pale paws gave way to thunder as they ceaselessly pummeled the forest floor. The area which contained these trees was of fantastic size, and it had pleased the fawn and silver youth greatly to frolic and run among their sheltering leaves and branches for an amount of time which had now consumed a majority of the current date. His ardor for the exercise was visibly apparent, for the puppyish grin of intimate joy and pleasure that sprawled across his profile was a difficult feature to overlook. The stream which he presently went skittering through sent forth a shower of liquid which drenched both the tawny form soon to disappear down a slope and the surrounding banks.

Realizing he had exited out the other side of this marvelous forest, he reveled in and applied the wolf's ability to make a full 180-degree turn from the implantation of but a single paw into the ground. Flying back up the rise toward the brook, he proceeded to execute a flying leap from the muddy bank this time, slipping and sliding in the muck at both takeoff and landing. Water still dripped from the surrounding branches, and his skull was thrown back in a proud howl as the figure came to a complete stop by sliding through the moist soil, spraying it about him as he had caused the wave at the stream. I am here, I am healthy, I am alone, and I am unafraid of this! May each of you know that I am Kato, and I howl, for I am unafraid of the consequences! His howl was bold and strong, a singular baritone melody rippling through thee trees for all in the vicinity to hear. Should another strong male come to challenge him, the tan boy was utterly certain that his pleasure was an angel incapable of death by a mortal soul. Striding off at a walk, he deserted his perch, resolving to explore his surroundings.

Pre-becoming-a-scout-thread *_*_*

Kite was decidedly alone on another journey to become a scout. She had been to the Wildwood enough to know it some, but, well, she could afford to know it more. This trip she intended to collect some of the herbs she knew to be there to bring back to Aideen, who Kite had not yet met but who Rayne had spoken of. Rayne regarded her as she might have regarded her packs medic, so... in her mind, she thought she was doing right in meeting her and having gifts. Her thoughts were cut quite short when a proud howl ripped through the air, and Kite's ears cupped as she listened... healthy male, likely a lone bachelor. Maybe seeking a mate? Kite heard that males would do that, depart from the pack to start their own... Kite had only left hers because she had been forced to. Once she might have been bitter for it, but things worked out in her favor.

Kite followed the howl.

If the male was a lone wolf, he might at the very least seek a pack. If he was healthy, he could be a good addition to the Woodlands who could afford extra legs to hunt with. Thus a different journey began, the journey for the howling bachelor. Kite paused midstride and a thought occurred to her: was he... well, he couldn't be looking for a mate...? Was she giving the wrong message by approaching?

And Kite furrowed her brows, pondering this in place.

{OOC: Gotcha!}

All was well and none disturbed his explorationn of the surrounding woodlands until the noticeable, inexplicable sensation that one is being watched washed over him in all its uncomfortable notions. Perhaps someone found a meaning in his call, and had sought him out? If so, he would be proud to meet their acquaintance. Aiming to appear undisturbed by this addition, he continued in his work of carefully inspecting each and every patch of foliage and or soil. If one sought his attention, they would have to be more ambitious than merely watching from the shadows. The feeling that he was under observation slipped away, and was quickly forgotten as a loud and powerful sneeze tore itself loose upon strong inhalation of a particularly bitter odor.

At first the tawny hued boy reared back, wary of this pungent flora which had spurred such a startling reaction. It seemed in his mind that this was surely some herb or another, for he knew that a sizable variety of medicinal plants were quite unpleasant to all of one's senses. Curiosity implied him to creep closer to the foliage, the yearning for knowledge of this plant's purpose too irresistible to resist. Again its strong odor crept toward his eager nostrils, and he was forced to stifle a second sneeze. The feeling of being watched returned, and at that his head whipped around in an uncharacteristic display of visible annoyance. "I apologize for my tone, but if you have something worth telling me, please do get on with it."

IS THIS BRYN AS IN BRYNDEL??

Kite hadn't the slightest idea her presence had been noted—though there was no reason why it wouldn't have been—and so, when the other spoke to her in a short manner, Kite momentarily shriveled and narrowed her eyes confusedly. Kite pushed all her wariness aside and just moved through the brush, licking her chops and frowning. Stop, that's no way to meet someone... and then, a smile. Sorry I just... well, I heard you call. And I was just walking and thought to come see you 'cause I was alone, and then she decides to throw in, feeling it harmless, But then I thought my mate may be waiting for me... but I've just left only recently, so,

Well, that was a mouthful. Nothing worth telling, she breathes airily, shrugging. So, you prefer to be alone? The lithe Kite wondered what there was to it. If Kite could have it her way, she'dve been in the Plains 'til the day she had died. Total pack wolf. Socializing and having close-knit bonds went without compare to the Tainn newlywed except for now, only because she had found a mate. That was the greatest thing of all. Being a lone wolf for Kite had been a struggle. The tawny wolf had been nearly a fresh yearling then, and not geared for loneliness. She could hunt well enough but on her journey only could get food from scraps of other hunters or small rabbits. It was winter, so that made things all the tougher... perhaps being a loner in the Summer was different.

{OOC: I don't think so... Did someone called Bryndel used to play on here? Also, if Kite wasn't in Secret Woodlands at this time, PM me and I'll edit.}

There was a moment where the fawn furred youth concluded his feeling of being watched must've been a figment of his imagination. But the bushes behind him began to rustle in a pattern that couldn't have been caused by the wind. It was the distinct rustle that something, or more so a someone, was moving through the bushes, likely in the mindset of greeting him. By swinging his head and shoulders around to face her he was able to take her in and place a face to her voice. For a moment the lady rambled on a bit. They were extremely similar in appearance. They both sported tan coats with other shades intermingled, although hers was more easily recognized than his. She looked his age and was somewhat close to his size. When she mentioned a mate, his silvery brows crept up slightly in surprise. Boy, she had him beat fair and square in that category. Kato had no doubt she was an ambitious one.

"Mmm, not exactly. Again, I'm sorry about the tone I used with you earlier. I don't usually get snappy like that. But anyway, I'm here to make a home for myself. I much prefer pack living, but I suppose the loner lifestyle is rather enjoyable, in a sense. There's no real duties for me other than survival." Suddenly, the breeze shifted, carrying a scent Kato had previously failed to notice: pack scent. "Oh, um, I'm sorry. You belong to a pack, don't you? So I suppose that sounded rather threatening to your family's space. I'm sorry, I can leave..." The words left his mouth tripping and stumbling over themselves, and the boy's ears twitched uncontrollably as he took a nervous step backwards. Oh man, he'd blown it now. First week here and he'd already made an enemy. His easy gaze dropped, his eyes wrought with worry and anxiety.

(This post was last modified: Jul 28, 2014, 12:51 AM by Kato.)

No just an old friend! BUT I AM HAPPY TO MAKE A NEW ONE. HI BRYN. And she's been in SW for a while now so you'd be correct! :D

His apology caused a smile to grace her features. Kite trusted he meant it, not because she put blind faith in strangers (which actually was pretty typical of her) but because he had thought to apologize twice. As he continued on, Kite listened with interest. It seemed the life of a loner was a life that had not been hard on him which the Tainn was quite happy to hear. It had been difficult for her... but not everyone's story was the same. Plus, the season had been different and unkind. The Winter was different than the Summer, when there was more to share and offer. Then, by many, she'd been considered another mouth to feed or an intruder in her loner days. Kite had been lucky to happen across Mirren, really. It was he who had gotten her into the fold. And now, she was a part of his family.

As he put it, though, the life of a lone wolf did sound pretty simple. Survival. One didn't know how difficult that could be even though he made it sound so simple. Kite's own experience had not been so simple... but again, Kite attributed it to the seasonal difference. His words then seemed to take a hesitant turn, and suddenly, apologetic again... Kite cocked her head for a moment before returning to her typical look, and shook her head. Yeah, I do, but no, my pack isn't hosted in this region. So, not threatened, Kite shrugs, and then reevaluates all he said. So when you say make a home for yourself, you mean... create a pack? As opposed to joining one first? Kite was curious about that, if this were in fact the case. Kite hadn't thought of it herself, but leading a pack had never been an ambition of hers in her loner days. Now, who could really say? Ambition was a new territory Kite was only now wading in... but she was at home in the Woodlands, and would not betray Nina's trust by going off to act on mere impulse now that she had found both a home and a family there. More than that, she liked Nina, from all of her encounters. And Mirren did, too. It meant something to her.

But this wolf, tawny like she was, had no connections, nothing to hold him back. At the same token, there was nothing by his side, either. Still, every pack had a beginning, didn't it?

{OOC: Thanks! Hi Steph! And good, I was a little worried that she might not have joined yet since you said it was pre-becoming-a-scout. :) }

At her confirmation that she was indeed a member of a pack, he tensed a little more. Was it... Could it be... Was she the pack's alphess? Although this tawny lady seemed less dominant than leaders he had met in the past, Kato supposed it was entirely possible that she was. By the time her speech was completed, the fawn youth was still uncertain.

And now she proceeded to ask about his goal of creating a pack. The details of this new home he aimed to create were still a bit up in the air, in fact, so the boy was left momentarily speechless by her questions with what he could only hope was a thoughtful expression on his face. "Well, yes, I do want to start a pack of my own. My parents ousted me in the idea that I would do exactly that, and I don't want to let them down. And, as for joining a pack, it would depend entirely on whether or not the alphas would accept letting me go when I was ready. I don't really want to generate an enemy pack, you know? But, I don't know, what is your pack like? It would be nice to have a home as I collect members." Though it hadn't been part of the original plan, Kato sincerely meant his final words. Tail wagging, he looked at her again and offered up a hopeful smile. A home would be nice, and this land seemed very well populated.

Kite listened to the wolf before her, tilting her head. She supposed she could understand the desire to please his parents. If that was what they wanted him to do, well, why wouldn't he do it? Kite listened to his further words and worried about her own policy. Truth be told, she herself would want permanent members. She would have to ask Nina of her own thoughts on the matter before making any real, legitimate judgment calls. "Totally understand," she says, nodding, "But it sounds... well, difficult. I'm not a leader myself, but if it were me I'd rather you look for members for the whole pack rather than wolves for yourself if I were keeping you, you know?" Plus, the idea of losing more than one member to another pack wasn't ideal to Kite. But she could see a benefit in it, too. Kite herself didn't much mind alliances (although they sounded like they could be more trouble than it was worth), but the idea of it came to her.

"I can see what my leader would think of it. I'm not sure whether or not she'd support that, though, so don't get too excited," her tail waves, hoping that he'd realize she wasn't trying to be short or cold but just genuinely informative. She smiled back to him. He seemed like a good guy, with a good heart. Kite enjoyed those sorts of people. She hadn't the slightest idea how she had run into all snappy, hellish wolves on her way here... but then again, the tables were turned, weren't they? She was the pack wolf, now.

"Thank you. I understand your concerns, and now that I'm thinking about it perhaps joining a pack wouldn't be such a great idea. Regardless, I would very much appreciate getting to meet your leader. It would be nice to get to know more wolves in the region, and I don't want anyone to think I'm much of a threat. I understand the need to protect your family, and I don't want your pack to feel like I'm trying to take their space," The beige youth swore his companion could probably see the gears turning in his head because he was thinking so hard and so fast. This region here was nice, and he would enjoy settling down and starting a pack here. But rivalries would be a bad thing. After all, packs were simply families, and the last thing he wanted was to threaten someone's family.

"Thank you for speaking to her. I myself might not support it, so I won't get too hopeful. Also, I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but should something ever go wrong and you need a place to stay, you can find one wherever I am. I don't mean to suggest anything would happen, but, you know..." Kato had been wanting to say that for a few minutes. This girl really was quite a nice lass, and the type of wolf he would've appreciated having in his pack. But he didn't want to pull her away from her current home, so he left it at that. With any luck, he wouldn't sound too pushy. It occurred to him then that he had neglected to ask her name. "Oh dear, I'm sorry. My name is Kato. It's a pleasure to meet you. May I ask your name?"

I SUUUUCK SRY

As he spoke, Kite felt her head tilting slightly. It took all of her willpower to not interrupt him, to not express that she thought his being a lone wolf for any measure of time a generally bad idea... but she sucked in all of those words and thought of a more eloquent, kind way to put them. Only when he finished did Kite think it prudent to express her thoughts on the matter. She simply could not hold her tongue. "I--I mean, perhaps not, but... your health, I mean... you could go hungry? Rabbits are good in passing, but they'll hardly fill you up..." She had his health in mind. His interests were more aligned with starting a pack, but he needed to be alive to do so, did he not? "As far as meeting my leader, perhaps. She's a very busy woman. Though perhaps you could meet her partner. Not to say he's less busy, but she has a few pressing matters on her plate." Those were her cubs, of course. Still, she did not think it wise to tell him as much if only because she hardly knew him. He seemed a good man, but how could she be sure...? As he spoke of taking space, she visibly winced. That was a sensitive subject in that the Thorns wolves had done just that. "Yeah, this particular region is a bit crowded if I'm honest. I'm sure you'd make for a great neighbor--I mean, heck, you seem like a great wolf--but I guess personality doesn't mean much when it comes to hunting grounds." She laughed lightheartedly at that, really not intending to insult him there.

His thanks was responded to with a nod. And as he continued, she had to smile at his kind words. The Tainn could tell he did not mean ill by it, not even because he had requested her not to take it the wrong way but by his demeanor. "I'll keep that in mind," she responded evenly, not at all offended by it. It was a truly nice offer; where had he been when she had been seeking a pack...? But the cards had fallen as they had, and really she could not be happier. As he introduced himself, Kite found herself quite surprised. He was an easy man to talk to, this Kato; she, too, had not realized they did not exchange names. "I'm Kite!"